Before we get into why UX design is important let’s take a minute to understand what it actually is. User experience (commonly referred to as UX) is used to explain the process that designers implement to not only make a beautiful product but, most importantly, an easy-to-use one. The designer takes a forward-thinking approach with the main demographic in mind. Every aspect of the product experience is taken into account; from beginning to end, and all touchpoints in between.

Why is UX Design Important for Your Business?

A digital presence is essential for every company. A website can be a tool that is a foundation of growth, or a company’s downfall. An unsuccessful website is also an ineffective website, and for various reasons. Why it’s ineffective leads back to lack of planning and building for the user. It is easy to want to build a site that looks awesome and fulfills the needs of your company, but that doesn’t matter if your customers can’t find what they are looking for. Even though UX has been a buzzword for a while, there are still some questions surrounding it and its importance.

Let’s talk about a few main reasons why a great user experience is beneficial (some would say necessary).

Investing Up Front Saves in the End

Everyone at some point has landed on a website that is so confusing that it leads to frustration and, ultimately, closing out the browser. This results in a loss of potential revenue and a site that is mediocre, at best. Solving a problem before it happens is far less expensive than investing in a product that has issues and would eventually need to be fixed. Issues that would bring unexpected expenses, which would quickly start to build up and potentially put a huge strain on a project. Utilizing UX design from the beginning will lead to a more intentional end result tailored to your customer’s needs. You will also avoid wasting time, money, and resources.

Increase Your Conversions

Humans are extremely impatient. Making things as easy as possible (for the user) is a critical part of UX design. By creating an intuitive experience, you are allowing the user to find exactly what they are looking for quickly and efficiently. If their experience on your website exceeds their expectations, there is a greater chance that they will stay longer and interact with your content. More interactions can lead to social media sharing and positive exposure for your company. Great user experience can even lead to word-of-mouth referrals. Even in the digital era, word of mouth is still an extremely lucrative form of acquiring business.

Build Brand Loyalty

With fewer human interactions there are limited opportunities to make a good impression and build a relationship with your customer. UX is an extension of your company and gives the user the ability to associate different types of feelings with your brand. Without an open form of communication, that would naturally happen face-to-face, your website has to speak for your company. If someone has a frustrating experience on your site they will correlate that trait with your company and how your company does business. By making the experience easier for your target audience, it will speak volumes to your investment of nurturing the customer relationship. This builds loyalty, and loyalty builds revenue.